LSU head coach Les Miles has plenty of respect for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, but will be looking to derail their SEC and National Championship hopes on Saturday. (AP Photo)

Despite storylines riddled with hatred and contempt, members of both the Alabama Crimson Tide football team and the LSU Tigers football team seem to be expressing a good bit of mutual respect leading up to their huge SEC West showdown this week.

"Les Miles has done a fantastic job in the five years he has been as LSU," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "They always play with toughness. They play with great effort. They are well-coached on both sides of the ball, as well as special teams."

"Offensively, they are averaging 31 points and 410 yards per game," said LSU coach Les Miles, of Alabama's offense. "They can run the football very well. Mark Ingram is a great back. I think they have a great receiver in Julio Jones, who is really one of the best receivers in the country."

Even with all of the respect on both sides, neither team will do anything but dish out the hits on Saturday.

For LSU fans, Saban's unexpected departure to the NFL and even more unexpected return to division rival Alabama have left a bad taste in their mouth.

The away team has won the past two matchups, after LSU took a thriller in Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2007 en route to a BCS National Championship and Alabama beat LSU in a thrilling overtime contest a year ago.

In fact, LSU has won their past four trips to Bryant-Denny, having last lost in 1999. If the trends continue, you would have to believe that LSU has the edge in this game.

The Tigers have won the SEC West in every odd year dating back to 2001, with a pair of BCS National Championships mixed in. In a game that features two Top 10 teams, both of whom still control their destiny in the National Championship race, emotion is sure to run high.

Alabama can clinch the SEC West with a win on Saturday, while an LSU win would make them the unquestioned favorite heading into the final three games of the season.

Both teams will bring their all on Saturday, and respect will be left by the wayside as two top notch teams fight for their National Championship hopes.

Todd McShay breaks down some of the key matchups in Saturday's SEC West huge showdown:

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